As Passed by the Senate

130th General Assembly
Regular Session
2013-2014
Am. Sub. S. B. No. 141


Senators Obhof, Hughes 

Cosponsors: Senators Eklund, Faber, Hite, Jones, Uecker 



A BILL
To amend sections 2915.01, 3772.03, and 3772.99 and 1
to enact section 2915.021 of the Revised Code to 2
create penalties related to casino gaming and 3
transacting with a casino facility, to require the 4
Casino Control Commission to include in its annual 5
report to the General Assembly information 6
regarding prosecutions for conduct that is subject 7
to those penalties, to prohibit illegal 8
sweepstakes conduct, and to declare an emergency.9


BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF OHIO:

       Section 1. That sections 2915.01, 3772.03, and 3772.99 be 10
amended and section 2915.021 of the Revised Code be enacted to 11
read as follows:12

       Sec. 2915.01.  As used in this chapter:13

       (A) "Bookmaking" means the business of receiving or paying 14
off bets.15

       (B) "Bet" means the hazarding of anything of value upon the 16
result of an event, undertaking, or contingency, but does not 17
include a bona fide business risk.18

       (C) "Scheme of chance" means a slot machine, lottery, numbers 19
game, pool conducted for profit, or other scheme in which a 20
participant gives a valuable consideration for a chance to win a 21
prize, but does not include bingo, a skill-based amusement 22
machine, or a pool not conducted for profit.23

       (D) "Game of chance" means poker, craps, roulette, or other 24
game in which a player gives anything of value in the hope of 25
gain, the outcome of which is determined largely by chance, but 26
does not include bingo.27

       (E) "Game of chance conducted for profit" means any game of 28
chance designed to produce income for the person who conducts or 29
operates the game of chance, but does not include bingo.30

       (F) "Gambling device" means any of the following:31

       (1) A book, totalizer, or other equipment for recording bets;32

       (2) A ticket, token, or other device representing a chance, 33
share, or interest in a scheme of chance or evidencing a bet;34

       (3) A deck of cards, dice, gaming table, roulette wheel, slot 35
machine, or other apparatus designed for use in connection with a 36
game of chance;37

       (4) Any equipment, device, apparatus, or paraphernalia 38
specially designed for gambling purposes;39

       (5) Bingo supplies sold or otherwise provided, or used, in 40
violation of this chapter.41

       (G) "Gambling offense" means any of the following:42

       (1) A violation of section 2915.02, 2915.021, 2915.03, 43
2915.04, 2915.05, 2915.06, 2915.07, 2915.08, 2915.081, 2915.082, 44
2915.09, 2915.091, 2915.092, 2915.10, or 2915.11 of the Revised 45
Code;46

       (2) A violation of an existing or former municipal ordinance 47
or law of this or any other state or the United States 48
substantially equivalent to any section listed in division (G)(1) 49
of this section or a violation of section 2915.06 of the Revised 50
Code as it existed prior to July 1, 1996;51

       (3) An offense under an existing or former municipal 52
ordinance or law of this or any other state or the United States, 53
of which gambling is an element;54

       (4) A conspiracy or attempt to commit, or complicity in 55
committing, any offense under division (G)(1), (2), or (3) of this 56
section.57

       (H) Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, "charitable 58
organization" means either of the following:59

       (1) An organization that is, and has received from the 60
internal revenue service a determination letter that currently is 61
in effect stating that the organization is, exempt from federal 62
income taxation under subsection 501(a) and described in 63
subsection 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code;64

       (2) A volunteer rescue service organization, volunteer 65
firefighter's organization, veteran's organization, fraternal 66
organization, or sporting organization that is exempt from federal 67
income taxation under subsection 501(c)(4), (c)(7), (c)(8), 68
(c)(10), or (c)(19) of the Internal Revenue Code. 69

        To qualify as a "charitable organization," an organization 70
shall have been in continuous existence as such in this state for 71
a period of two years immediately preceding either the making of 72
an application for a bingo license under section 2915.08 of the 73
Revised Code or the conducting of any game of chance as provided 74
in division (D) of section 2915.02 of the Revised Code. 75

       (I) "Religious organization" means any church, body of 76
communicants, or group that is not organized or operated for 77
profit and that gathers in common membership for regular worship 78
and religious observances.79

       (J) "Veteran's organization" means any individual post or 80
state headquarters of a national veteran's association or an 81
auxiliary unit of any individual post of a national veteran's 82
association, which post, state headquarters, or auxiliary unit is 83
incorporated as a nonprofit corporation and either has received a 84
letter from the state headquarters of the national veteran's 85
association indicating that the individual post or auxiliary unit 86
is in good standing with the national veteran's association or has 87
received a letter from the national veteran's association 88
indicating that the state headquarters is in good standing with 89
the national veteran's association. As used in this division, 90
"national veteran's association" means any veteran's association 91
that has been in continuous existence as such for a period of at 92
least five years and either is incorporated by an act of the 93
United States congress or has a national dues-paying membership of 94
at least five thousand persons.95

       (K) "Volunteer firefighter's organization" means any 96
organization of volunteer firefighters, as defined in section 97
146.01 of the Revised Code, that is organized and operated 98
exclusively to provide financial support for a volunteer fire 99
department or a volunteer fire company and that is recognized or 100
ratified by a county, municipal corporation, or township.101

       (L) "Fraternal organization" means any society, order, state 102
headquarters, or association within this state, except a college 103
or high school fraternity, that is not organized for profit, that 104
is a branch, lodge, or chapter of a national or state 105
organization, that exists exclusively for the common business or 106
sodality of its members.107

       (M) "Volunteer rescue service organization" means any 108
organization of volunteers organized to function as an emergency 109
medical service organization, as defined in section 4765.01 of the 110
Revised Code.111

       (N) "Charitable bingo game" means any bingo game described in 112
division (O)(1) or (2) of this section that is conducted by a 113
charitable organization that has obtained a license pursuant to 114
section 2915.08 of the Revised Code and the proceeds of which are 115
used for a charitable purpose.116

       (O) "Bingo" means either of the following:117

       (1) A game with all of the following characteristics:118

       (a) The participants use bingo cards or sheets, including 119
paper formats and electronic representation or image formats, that 120
are divided into twenty-five spaces arranged in five horizontal 121
and five vertical rows of spaces, with each space, except the 122
central space, being designated by a combination of a letter and a 123
number and with the central space being designated as a free 124
space.125

       (b) The participants cover the spaces on the bingo cards or 126
sheets that correspond to combinations of letters and numbers that 127
are announced by a bingo game operator.128

       (c) A bingo game operator announces combinations of letters 129
and numbers that appear on objects that a bingo game operator 130
selects by chance, either manually or mechanically, from a 131
receptacle that contains seventy-five objects at the beginning of 132
each game, each object marked by a different combination of a 133
letter and a number that corresponds to one of the seventy-five 134
possible combinations of a letter and a number that can appear on 135
the bingo cards or sheets.136

       (d) The winner of the bingo game includes any participant who 137
properly announces during the interval between the announcements 138
of letters and numbers as described in division (O)(1)(c) of this 139
section, that a predetermined and preannounced pattern of spaces 140
has been covered on a bingo card or sheet being used by the 141
participant.142

       (2) Instant bingo, punch boards, and raffles.143

       (P) "Conduct" means to back, promote, organize, manage, carry 144
on, sponsor, or prepare for the operation of bingo or a game of 145
chance.146

       (Q) "Bingo game operator" means any person, except security 147
personnel, who performs work or labor at the site of bingo, 148
including, but not limited to, collecting money from participants, 149
handing out bingo cards or sheets or objects to cover spaces on 150
bingo cards or sheets, selecting from a receptacle the objects 151
that contain the combination of letters and numbers that appear on 152
bingo cards or sheets, calling out the combinations of letters and 153
numbers, distributing prizes, selling or redeeming instant bingo 154
tickets or cards, supervising the operation of a punch board, 155
selling raffle tickets, selecting raffle tickets from a receptacle 156
and announcing the winning numbers in a raffle, and preparing, 157
selling, and serving food or beverages.158

       (R) "Participant" means any person who plays bingo.159

       (S) "Bingo session" means a period that includes both of the 160
following:161

       (1) Not to exceed five continuous hours for the conduct of 162
one or more games described in division (O)(1) of this section, 163
instant bingo, and seal cards;164

       (2) A period for the conduct of instant bingo and seal cards 165
for not more than two hours before and not more than two hours 166
after the period described in division (S)(1) of this section.167

       (T) "Gross receipts" means all money or assets, including 168
admission fees, that a person receives from bingo without the 169
deduction of any amounts for prizes paid out or for the expenses 170
of conducting bingo. "Gross receipts" does not include any money 171
directly taken in from the sale of food or beverages by a 172
charitable organization conducting bingo, or by a bona fide 173
auxiliary unit or society of a charitable organization conducting 174
bingo, provided all of the following apply:175

       (1) The auxiliary unit or society has been in existence as a 176
bona fide auxiliary unit or society of the charitable organization 177
for at least two years prior to conducting bingo.178

       (2) The person who purchases the food or beverage receives 179
nothing of value except the food or beverage and items customarily 180
received with the purchase of that food or beverage.181

       (3) The food and beverages are sold at customary and 182
reasonable prices.183

       (U) "Security personnel" includes any person who either is a 184
sheriff, deputy sheriff, marshal, deputy marshal, township 185
constable, or member of an organized police department of a 186
municipal corporation or has successfully completed a peace 187
officer's training course pursuant to sections 109.71 to 109.79 of 188
the Revised Code and who is hired to provide security for the 189
premises on which bingo is conducted.190

       (V) "Charitable purpose" means that the net profit of bingo, 191
other than instant bingo, is used by, or is given, donated, or 192
otherwise transferred to, any of the following:193

       (1) Any organization that is described in subsection 194
509(a)(1), 509(a)(2), or 509(a)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code 195
and is either a governmental unit or an organization that is tax 196
exempt under subsection 501(a) and described in subsection 197
501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code;198

       (2) A veteran's organization that is a post, chapter, or 199
organization of veterans, or an auxiliary unit or society of, or a 200
trust or foundation for, any such post, chapter, or organization 201
organized in the United States or any of its possessions, at least 202
seventy-five per cent of the members of which are veterans and 203
substantially all of the other members of which are individuals 204
who are spouses, widows, or widowers of veterans, or such 205
individuals, provided that no part of the net earnings of such 206
post, chapter, or organization inures to the benefit of any 207
private shareholder or individual, and further provided that the 208
net profit is used by the post, chapter, or organization for the 209
charitable purposes set forth in division (B)(12) of section 210
5739.02 of the Revised Code, is used for awarding scholarships to 211
or for attendance at an institution mentioned in division (B)(12) 212
of section 5739.02 of the Revised Code, is donated to a 213
governmental agency, or is used for nonprofit youth activities, 214
the purchase of United States or Ohio flags that are donated to 215
schools, youth groups, or other bona fide nonprofit organizations, 216
promotion of patriotism, or disaster relief;217

       (3) A fraternal organization that has been in continuous 218
existence in this state for fifteen years and that uses the net 219
profit exclusively for religious, charitable, scientific, 220
literary, or educational purposes, or for the prevention of 221
cruelty to children or animals, if contributions for such use 222
would qualify as a deductible charitable contribution under 223
subsection 170 of the Internal Revenue Code;224

       (4) A volunteer firefighter's organization that uses the net 225
profit for the purposes set forth in division (K) of this section.226

       (W) "Internal Revenue Code" means the "Internal Revenue Code 227
of 1986," 100 Stat. 2085, 26 U.S.C. 1, as now or hereafter 228
amended.229

       (X) "Youth athletic organization" means any organization, not 230
organized for profit, that is organized and operated exclusively 231
to provide financial support to, or to operate, athletic 232
activities for persons who are twenty-one years of age or younger 233
by means of sponsoring, organizing, operating, or contributing to 234
the support of an athletic team, club, league, or association.235

       (Y) "Youth athletic park organization" means any 236
organization, not organized for profit, that satisfies both of the 237
following:238

       (1) It owns, operates, and maintains playing fields that 239
satisfy both of the following:240

       (a) The playing fields are used at least one hundred days per 241
year for athletic activities by one or more organizations, not 242
organized for profit, each of which is organized and operated 243
exclusively to provide financial support to, or to operate, 244
athletic activities for persons who are eighteen years of age or 245
younger by means of sponsoring, organizing, operating, or 246
contributing to the support of an athletic team, club, league, or 247
association.248

       (b) The playing fields are not used for any profit-making 249
activity at any time during the year.250

       (2) It uses the proceeds of bingo it conducts exclusively for 251
the operation, maintenance, and improvement of its playing fields 252
of the type described in division (Y)(1) of this section.253

       (Z) "Bingo supplies" means bingo cards or sheets; instant 254
bingo tickets or cards; electronic bingo aids; raffle tickets; 255
punch boards; seal cards; instant bingo ticket dispensers; and 256
devices for selecting or displaying the combination of bingo 257
letters and numbers or raffle tickets. Items that are "bingo 258
supplies" are not gambling devices if sold or otherwise provided, 259
and used, in accordance with this chapter. For purposes of this 260
chapter, "bingo supplies" are not to be considered equipment used 261
to conduct a bingo game.262

       (AA) "Instant bingo" means a form of bingo that shall use 263
folded or banded tickets or paper cards with perforated break-open 264
tabs, a face of which is covered or otherwise hidden from view to 265
conceal a number, letter, or symbol, or set of numbers, letters, 266
or symbols, some of which have been designated in advance as prize 267
winners, and may also include games in which some winners are 268
determined by the random selection of one or more bingo numbers by 269
the use of a seal card or bingo blower. In all "instant bingo" the 270
prize amount and structure shall be predetermined. "Instant bingo" 271
does not include any device that is activated by the insertion of 272
a coin, currency, token, or an equivalent, and that contains as 273
one of its components a video display monitor that is capable of 274
displaying numbers, letters, symbols, or characters in winning or 275
losing combinations.276

       (BB) "Seal card" means a form of instant bingo that uses 277
instant bingo tickets in conjunction with a board or placard that 278
contains one or more seals that, when removed or opened, reveal 279
predesignated winning numbers, letters, or symbols.280

       (CC) "Raffle" means a form of bingo in which the one or more 281
prizes are won by one or more persons who have purchased a raffle 282
ticket. The one or more winners of the raffle are determined by 283
drawing a ticket stub or other detachable section from a 284
receptacle containing ticket stubs or detachable sections 285
corresponding to all tickets sold for the raffle. "Raffle" does 286
not include the drawing of a ticket stub or other detachable 287
section of a ticket purchased to attend a professional sporting 288
event if both of the following apply:289

        (1) The ticket stub or other detachable section is used to 290
select the winner of a free prize given away at the professional 291
sporting event; and292

       (2) The cost of the ticket is the same as the cost of a 293
ticket to the professional sporting event on days when no free 294
prize is given away.295

       (DD) "Punch board" means a board containing a number of holes 296
or receptacles of uniform size in which are placed, mechanically 297
and randomly, serially numbered slips of paper that may be punched 298
or drawn from the hole or receptacle when used in conjunction with 299
instant bingo. A player may punch or draw the numbered slips of 300
paper from the holes or receptacles and obtain the prize 301
established for the game if the number drawn corresponds to a 302
winning number or, if the punch board includes the use of a seal 303
card, a potential winning number.304

       (EE) "Gross profit" means gross receipts minus the amount 305
actually expended for the payment of prize awards.306

       (FF) "Net profit" means gross profit minus expenses.307

       (GG) "Expenses" means the reasonable amount of gross profit 308
actually expended for all of the following:309

       (1) The purchase or lease of bingo supplies;310

       (2) The annual license fee required under section 2915.08 of 311
the Revised Code;312

       (3) Bank fees and service charges for a bingo session or game 313
account described in section 2915.10 of the Revised Code;314

       (4) Audits and accounting services;315

       (5) Safes;316

       (6) Cash registers;317

       (7) Hiring security personnel;318

       (8) Advertising bingo;319

       (9) Renting premises in which to conduct a bingo session;320

       (10) Tables and chairs;321

       (11) Expenses for maintaining and operating a charitable 322
organization's facilities, including, but not limited to, a post 323
home, club house, lounge, tavern, or canteen and any grounds 324
attached to the post home, club house, lounge, tavern, or canteen;325

       (12) Payment of real property taxes and assessments that are 326
levied on a premises on which bingo is conducted;327

       (13) Any other product or service directly related to the 328
conduct of bingo that is authorized in rules adopted by the 329
attorney general under division (B)(1) of section 2915.08 of the 330
Revised Code.331

       (HH) "Person" has the same meaning as in section 1.59 of the 332
Revised Code and includes any firm or any other legal entity, 333
however organized.334

       (II) "Revoke" means to void permanently all rights and 335
privileges of the holder of a license issued under section 336
2915.08, 2915.081, or 2915.082 of the Revised Code or a charitable 337
gaming license issued by another jurisdiction.338

       (JJ) "Suspend" means to interrupt temporarily all rights and 339
privileges of the holder of a license issued under section 340
2915.08, 2915.081, or 2915.082 of the Revised Code or a charitable 341
gaming license issued by another jurisdiction.342

       (KK) "Distributor" means any person who purchases or obtains 343
bingo supplies and who does either of the following:344

       (1) Sells, offers for sale, or otherwise provides or offers 345
to provide the bingo supplies to another person for use in this 346
state;347

       (2) Modifies, converts, adds to, or removes parts from the 348
bingo supplies to further their promotion or sale for use in this 349
state.350

       (LL) "Manufacturer" means any person who assembles completed 351
bingo supplies from raw materials, other items, or subparts or who 352
modifies, converts, adds to, or removes parts from bingo supplies 353
to further their promotion or sale.354

       (MM) "Gross annual revenues" means the annual gross receipts 355
derived from the conduct of bingo described in division (O)(1) of 356
this section plus the annual net profit derived from the conduct 357
of bingo described in division (O)(2) of this section.358

       (NN) "Instant bingo ticket dispenser" means a mechanical 359
device that dispenses an instant bingo ticket or card as the sole 360
item of value dispensed and that has the following 361
characteristics:362

        (1) It is activated upon the insertion of United States 363
currency.364

        (2) It performs no gaming functions.365

        (3) It does not contain a video display monitor or generate 366
noise.367

        (4) It is not capable of displaying any numbers, letters, 368
symbols, or characters in winning or losing combinations.369

       (5) It does not simulate or display rolling or spinning 370
reels.371

        (6) It is incapable of determining whether a dispensed bingo 372
ticket or card is a winning or nonwinning ticket or card and 373
requires a winning ticket or card to be paid by a bingo game 374
operator.375

        (7) It may provide accounting and security features to aid in 376
accounting for the instant bingo tickets or cards it dispenses.377

       (8) It is not part of an electronic network and is not 378
interactive.379

       (OO)(1) "Electronic bingo aid" means an electronic device 380
used by a participant to monitor bingo cards or sheets purchased 381
at the time and place of a bingo session and that does all of the 382
following:383

        (a) It provides a means for a participant to input numbers 384
and letters announced by a bingo caller.385

        (b) It compares the numbers and letters entered by the 386
participant to the bingo faces previously stored in the memory of 387
the device.388

        (c) It identifies a winning bingo pattern.389

        (2) "Electronic bingo aid" does not include any device into 390
which a coin, currency, token, or an equivalent is inserted to 391
activate play.392

       (PP) "Deal of instant bingo tickets" means a single game of 393
instant bingo tickets all with the same serial number.394

       (QQ)(1) "Slot machine" means either of the following:395

       (a) Any mechanical, electronic, video, or digital device that 396
is capable of accepting anything of value, directly or indirectly, 397
from or on behalf of a player who gives the thing of value in the 398
hope of gain; 399

        (b) Any mechanical, electronic, video, or digital device that 400
is capable of accepting anything of value, directly or indirectly, 401
from or on behalf of a player to conduct bingo or a scheme or game 402
of chance.403

       (2) "Slot machine" does not include a skill-based amusement 404
machine or an instant bingo ticket dispenser.405

        (RR) "Net profit from the proceeds of the sale of instant 406
bingo" means gross profit minus the ordinary, necessary, and 407
reasonable expense expended for the purchase of instant bingo 408
supplies, and, in the case of instant bingo conducted by a 409
veteran's, fraternal, or sporting organization, minus the payment 410
by that organization of real property taxes and assessments levied 411
on a premises on which instant bingo is conducted.412

       (SS) "Charitable instant bingo organization" means an 413
organization that is exempt from federal income taxation under 414
subsection 501(a) and described in subsection 501(c)(3) of the 415
Internal Revenue Code and is a charitable organization as defined 416
in this section. A "charitable instant bingo organization" does 417
not include a charitable organization that is exempt from federal 418
income taxation under subsection 501(a) and described in 419
subsection 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and that is 420
created by a veteran's organization, a fraternal organization, or 421
a sporting organization in regards to bingo conducted or assisted 422
by a veteran's organization, a fraternal organization, or a 423
sporting organization pursuant to section 2915.13 of the Revised 424
Code.425

       (TT) "Game flare" means the board or placard that accompanies 426
each deal of instant bingo tickets and that has printed on or 427
affixed to it the following information for the game:428

       (1) The name of the game;429

       (2) The manufacturer's name or distinctive logo;430

       (3) The form number;431

       (4) The ticket count;432

       (5) The prize structure, including the number of winning 433
instant bingo tickets by denomination and the respective winning 434
symbol or number combinations for the winning instant bingo 435
tickets;436

       (6) The cost per play;437

       (7) The serial number of the game.438

       (UU)(1) "Skill-based amusement machine" means a mechanical, 439
video, digital, or electronic device that rewards the player or 440
players, if at all, only with merchandise prizes or with 441
redeemable vouchers redeemable only for merchandise prizes, 442
provided that with respect to rewards for playing the game all of 443
the following apply:444

       (a) The wholesale value of a merchandise prize awarded as a 445
result of the single play of a machine does not exceed ten 446
dollars;447

       (b) Redeemable vouchers awarded for any single play of a 448
machine are not redeemable for a merchandise prize with a 449
wholesale value of more than ten dollars;450

       (c) Redeemable vouchers are not redeemable for a merchandise 451
prize that has a wholesale value of more than ten dollars times 452
the fewest number of single plays necessary to accrue the 453
redeemable vouchers required to obtain that prize; and454

       (d) Any redeemable vouchers or merchandise prizes are 455
distributed at the site of the skill-based amusement machine at 456
the time of play.457

       A card for the purchase of gasoline is a redeemable voucher 458
for purposes of division (UU)(1) of this section even if the 459
skill-based amusement machine for the play of which the card is 460
awarded is located at a place where gasoline may not be legally 461
distributed to the public or the card is not redeemable at the 462
location of, or at the time of playing, the skill-based amusement 463
machine.464

       (2) A device shall not be considered a skill-based amusement 465
machine and shall be considered a slot machine if it pays cash or 466
one or more of the following apply:467

       (a) The ability of a player to succeed at the game is 468
impacted by the number or ratio of prior wins to prior losses of 469
players playing the game.470

       (b) Any reward of redeemable vouchers is not based solely on 471
the player achieving the object of the game or the player's score;472

       (c) The outcome of the game, or the value of the redeemable 473
voucher or merchandise prize awarded for winning the game, can be 474
controlled by a source other than any player playing the game.475

       (d) The success of any player is or may be determined by a 476
chance event that cannot be altered by player actions.477

       (e) The ability of any player to succeed at the game is 478
determined by game features not visible or known to the player.479

       (f) The ability of the player to succeed at the game is 480
impacted by the exercise of a skill that no reasonable player 481
could exercise.482

       (3) All of the following apply to any machine that is 483
operated as described in division (UU)(1) of this section:484

       (a) As used in division (UU) of this section, "game" and 485
"play" mean one event from the initial activation of the machine 486
until the results of play are determined without payment of 487
additional consideration. An individual utilizing a machine that 488
involves a single game, play, contest, competition, or tournament 489
may be awarded redeemable vouchers or merchandise prizes based on 490
the results of play.491

       (b) Advance play for a single game, play, contest, 492
competition, or tournament participation may be purchased. The 493
cost of the contest, competition, or tournament participation may 494
be greater than a single noncontest, competition, or tournament 495
play.496

       (c) To the extent that the machine is used in a contest, 497
competition, or tournament, that contest, competition, or 498
tournament has a defined starting and ending date and is open to 499
participants in competition for scoring and ranking results toward 500
the awarding of redeemable vouchers or merchandise prizes that are 501
stated prior to the start of the contest, competition, or 502
tournament. 503

       (4) For purposes of division (UU)(1) of this section, the 504
mere presence of a device, such as a pin-setting, ball-releasing, 505
or scoring mechanism, that does not contribute to or affect the 506
outcome of the play of the game does not make the device a 507
skill-based amusement machine.508

       (VV) "Merchandise prize" means any item of value, but shall 509
not include any of the following:510

       (1) Cash, gift cards, or any equivalent thereof;511

       (2) Plays on games of chance, state lottery tickets, bingo, 512
or instant bingo;513

       (3) Firearms, tobacco, or alcoholic beverages; or514

       (4) A redeemable voucher that is redeemable for any of the 515
items listed in division (VV)(1), (2), or (3) of this section.516

       (WW) "Redeemable voucher" means any ticket, token, coupon, 517
receipt, or other noncash representation of value.518

       (XX) "Pool not conducted for profit" means a scheme in which 519
a participant gives a valuable consideration for a chance to win a 520
prize and the total amount of consideration wagered is distributed 521
to a participant or participants.522

       (YY) "Sporting organization" means a hunting, fishing, or 523
trapping organization, other than a college or high school 524
fraternity or sorority, that is not organized for profit, that is 525
affiliated with a state or national sporting organization, 526
including but not limited to, the league of Ohio sportsmen, and 527
that has been in continuous existence in this state for a period 528
of three years.529

       (ZZ) "Community action agency" has the same meaning as in 530
section 122.66 of the Revised Code.531

       Sec. 2915.021.  (A) As used in this section:532

       (1) "Sweepstakes" means any game, contest, advertising scheme 533
or plan, or other promotion for which consideration is not 534
required for a person to enter to win or become eligible to 535
receive any prize, the determination of which is based upon 536
chance. "Sweepstakes" does not include bingo as authorized under 537
this chapter, pari-mutuel wagering as authorized by Chapter 3769. 538
of the Revised Code, lotteries conducted by the state lottery 539
commission as authorized by Chapter 3770. of the Revised Code, and 540
casino gaming as authorized by Chapter 3772. of the Revised Code. 541
"Sweepstakes" does not include prizes awarded by any business 542
enterprise conducted at any location for less than thirteen days 543
per calendar year.544

       (2) "Business enterprise" means any enterprise whether 545
conducted for profit or not for profit.546

        (3) "Enterprise" has the same meaning as in section 2923.31 547
of the Revised Code.548

       (B) No person or entity in relation to any business 549
enterprise shall conduct any sweepstakes in which the person or 550
entity, during a calendar year for which the sweepstakes is 551
offered, awards cash or prizes that have a total value of more 552
than five per cent of the person's or entity's gross revenue for a 553
business location for that year from the business or entity for 554
which the person offered the sweepstakes to advertise or promote.555

       (C) The attorney general may adopt rules for the efficient 556
enforcement of and to ensure compliance with this section, 557
including, but not limited to, the aggregation of the gross 558
revenue of multijurisdictional locations offering marketing 559
programs in the form of food or other trade goods. The attorney 560
general may assess reasonable fees related to compliance with any 561
rules adopted under this division.562

       (D) Whoever violates division (B) of this section is guilty 563
of illegal sweepstakes conduct, a misdemeanor of the first degree. 564
If the offender previously has been convicted of any gambling 565
offense, illegal sweepstakes conduct is a felony of the fifth 566
degree.567

       Sec. 3772.03. (A) To ensure the integrity of casino gaming, 568
the commission shall have authority to complete the functions of 569
licensing, regulating, investigating, and penalizing casino 570
operators, management companies, holding companies, key employees, 571
casino gaming employees, and gaming-related vendors. The 572
commission also shall have jurisdiction over all persons 573
participating in casino gaming authorized by Section 6(C) of 574
Article XV, Ohio Constitution, and this chapter.575

       (B) All rules adopted by the commission under this chapter 576
shall be adopted under procedures established in Chapter 119. of 577
the Revised Code. The commission may contract for the services of 578
experts and consultants to assist the commission in carrying out 579
its duties under this section.580

       (C) Within six months of September 10, 2010, the commission 581
shall adopt initial rules as are necessary for completing the 582
functions stated in division (A) of this section and for 583
addressing the subjects enumerated in division (D) of this 584
section.585

       (D) The commission shall adopt, and as advisable and 586
necessary shall amend or repeal, rules that include all of the 587
following:588

       (1) The prevention of practices detrimental to the public 589
interest;590

       (2) Prescribing the method of applying, and the form of 591
application, that an applicant for a license under this chapter 592
must follow as otherwise described in this chapter;593

       (3) Prescribing the information to be furnished by an 594
applicant or licensee as described in section 3772.11 of the 595
Revised Code;596

       (4) Describing the certification standards and duties of an 597
independent testing laboratory certified under section 3772.31 of 598
the Revised Code and the relationship between the commission, the 599
laboratory, the gaming-related vendor, and the casino operator;600

        (5) The minimum amount of insurance that must be maintained 601
by a casino operator, management company, holding company, or 602
gaming-related vendor;603

       (6) The approval process for a significant change in 604
ownership or transfer of control of a licensee as provided in 605
section 3772.091 of the Revised Code;606

       (7) The design of gaming supplies, devices, and equipment to 607
be distributed by gaming-related vendors;608

       (8) Identifying the casino gaming that is permitted, 609
identifying the gaming supplies, devices, and equipment, that are 610
permitted, defining the area in which the permitted casino gaming 611
may be conducted, and specifying the method of operation according 612
to which the permitted casino gaming is to be conducted as 613
provided in section 3772.20 of the Revised Code, and requiring 614
gaming devices and equipment to meet the standards of this state;615

       (9) Tournament play in any casino facility;616

       (10) Establishing and implementing a voluntary exclusion 617
program that provides all of the following:618

       (a) Except as provided by commission rule, a person who 619
participates in the program shall agree to refrain from entering a 620
casino facility.621

       (b) The name of a person participating in the program shall 622
be included on a list of persons excluded from all casino 623
facilities.624

       (c) Except as provided by commission rule, no person who 625
participates in the program shall petition the commission for 626
admittance into a casino facility.627

       (d) The list of persons participating in the program and the 628
personal information of those persons shall be confidential and 629
shall only be disseminated by the commission to a casino operator 630
and the agents and employees of the casino operator for purposes 631
of enforcement and to other entities, upon request of the 632
participant and agreement by the commission.633

       (e) A casino operator shall make all reasonable attempts as 634
determined by the commission to cease all direct marketing efforts 635
to a person participating in the program.636

       (f) A casino operator shall not cash the check of a person 637
participating in the program or extend credit to the person in any 638
manner. However, the program shall not exclude a casino operator 639
from seeking the payment of a debt accrued by a person before 640
participating in the program.641

       (g) Any and all locations at which a person may register as a 642
participant in the program shall be published.643

       (11) Requiring the commission to adopt standards regarding 644
the marketing materials of a licensed casino operator, including 645
allowing the commission to prohibit marketing materials that are 646
contrary to the adopted standards;647

       (12) Requiring that the records, including financial 648
statements, of any casino operator, management company, holding 649
company, and gaming-related vendor be maintained in the manner 650
prescribed by the commission and made available for inspection 651
upon demand by the commission, but shall be subject to section 652
3772.16 of the Revised Code;653

       (13) Permitting a licensed casino operator, management 654
company, key employee, or casino gaming employee to question a 655
person suspected of violating this chapter;656

       (14) The chips, tokens, tickets, electronic cards, or similar 657
objects that may be purchased by means of an agreement under which 658
credit is extended to a wagerer by a casino operator;659

       (15) Establishing standards for provisional key employee 660
licenses for a person who is required to be licensed as a key 661
employee and is in exigent circumstances and standards for 662
provisional licenses for casino gaming employees who submit 663
complete applications and are compliant under an instant 664
background check. A provisional license shall be valid not longer 665
than three months. A provisional license may be renewed one time, 666
at the commission's discretion, for an additional three months. In 667
establishing standards with regard to instant background checks 668
the commission shall take notice of criminal records checks as 669
they are conducted under section 311.41 of the Revised Code using 670
electronic fingerprint reading devices.671

       (16) Establishing approval procedures for third-party 672
engineering or accounting firms, as described in section 3772.09 673
of the Revised Code;674

       (17) Prescribing the manner in which winnings, compensation 675
from casino gaming, and gross revenue must be computed and 676
reported by a licensee as described in Chapter 5753. of the 677
Revised Code;678

       (18) Prescribing conditions under which a licensee's license 679
may be suspended or revoked as described in section 3772.04 of the 680
Revised Code;681

       (19) Prescribing the manner and procedure of all hearings to 682
be conducted by the commission or by any hearing examiner;683

       (20) Prescribing technical standards and requirements that 684
are to be met by security and surveillance equipment that is used 685
at and standards and requirements to be met by personnel who are 686
employed at casino facilities, and standards and requirements for 687
the provision of security at and surveillance of casino 688
facilities;689

       (21) Prescribing requirements for a casino operator to 690
provide unarmed security services at a casino facility by licensed 691
casino employees, and the training that shall be completed by 692
these employees;693

       (22) Prescribing standards according to which casino 694
operators shall keep accounts and standards according to which 695
casino accounts shall be audited, and establish means of assisting 696
the tax commissioner in levying and collecting the gross casino 697
revenue tax levied under section 5753.02 of the Revised Code;698

       (23) Defining penalties for violation of commission rules and 699
a process for imposing such penalties subject to the review of the 700
joint committee on gaming and wagering;701

       (24) Establishing standards for decertifying contractors that 702
violate statutes or rules of this state or the federal government;703

       (25) Establishing standards for the repair of casino gaming 704
equipment;705

       (26) Establishing procedures to ensure that casino operators, 706
management companies, and holding companies are compliant with the 707
compulsive and problem gambling plan submitted under section 708
3772.18 of the Revised Code;709

       (27) Prescribing, for institutional investors in or holding 710
companies of a casino operator, management company, holding 711
company, or gaming-related vendor that fall below the threshold 712
needed to be considered an institutional investor or a holding 713
company, standards regarding what any employees, members, or 714
owners of those investors or holding companies may do and shall 715
not do in relation to casino facilities and casino gaming in this 716
state, which standards shall rationally relate to the need to 717
proscribe conduct that is inconsistent with passive institutional 718
investment status;719

       (28) Providing for any other thing necessary and proper for 720
successful and efficient regulation of casino gaming under this 721
chapter.722

       (E) The commission shall employ and assign gaming agents as 723
necessary to assist the commission in carrying out the duties of 724
this chapter. In order to maintain employment as a gaming agent, 725
the gaming agent shall successfully complete all continuing 726
training programs required by the commission and shall not have 727
been convicted of or pleaded guilty or no contest to a 728
disqualifying offense as defined in section 3772.07 of the Revised 729
Code.730

       (F) The commission, as a law enforcement agency, and its 731
gaming agents, as law enforcement officers as defined in section 732
2901.01 of the Revised Code, shall have authority with regard to 733
the detection and investigation of, the seizure of evidence 734
allegedly relating to, and the apprehension and arrest of persons 735
allegedly committing gaming offenses, and shall have access to 736
casino facilities to carry out the requirements of this chapter.737

       (G) The commission may eject or exclude or authorize the 738
ejection or exclusion of and a gaming agent may eject a person 739
from a casino facility for any of the following reasons:740

       (1) The person's name is on the list of persons voluntarily 741
excluding themselves from all casinos in a program established 742
according to rules adopted by the commission;743

       (2) The person violates or conspires to violate this chapter 744
or a rule adopted thereunder; or745

       (3) The commission determines that the person's conduct or 746
reputation is such that the person's presence within a casino 747
facility may call into question the honesty and integrity of the 748
casino gaming operations or interfere with the orderly conduct of 749
the casino gaming operations.750

       (H) A person, other than a person participating in a 751
voluntary exclusion program, may petition the commission for a 752
public hearing on the person's ejection or exclusion under this 753
chapter.754

       (I) A casino operator or management company shall have the 755
same authority to eject or exclude a person from the management 756
company's casino facilities as authorized in division (G) of this 757
section. The licensee shall immediately notify the commission of 758
an ejection or exclusion.759

       (J) The commission shall submit a written annual report with 760
the governor, president and minority leader of the senate, speaker 761
and minority leader of the house of representatives, and joint 762
committee on gaming and wagering before the first day of September 763
each year. The annual report shall cover the previous fiscal year 764
and shall include aall of the following:765

       (1) A statement describing the receipts and disbursements of 766
the commission, relevant;767

       (2) Relevant financial data regarding casino gaming, 768
including gross revenues and disbursements made under this 769
chapter, actions;770

       (3) Actions taken by the commission, an;771

       (4) An update on casino operators', management companies', 772
and holding companies' compulsive and problem gambling plans and 773
the voluntary exclusion program and list, and any;774

       (5) Information regarding prosecutions for conduct described 775
in division (H) of section 3772.99 of the Revised Code, including, 776
but not limited to, the total number of prosecutions commenced and 777
the name of each person prosecuted;778

       (6) Any additional information that the commission considers 779
useful or that the governor, president or minority leader of the 780
senate, speaker or minority leader of the house of 781
representatives, or joint committee on gaming and wagering 782
requests.783

        (K) Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, beginning on 784
July 1, 2011, the commission shall assume jurisdiction over and 785
oversee the regulation of skill-based amusement machines as is 786
provided in the law of this state.787

       Sec. 3772.99.  (A) The commission shall levy and collect 788
penalties for noncriminal violations of this chapter. Noncriminal 789
violations include using the term "casino" in any advertisement in 790
regard to a facility operating video lottery terminals, as defined 791
in section 3770.21 of the Revised Code, in this state. Moneys 792
collected from such penalty levies shall be credited to the 793
general revenue fund.794

       (B) If a licensed casino operator, management company, 795
holding company, gaming-related vendor, or key employee violates 796
this chapter or engages in a fraudulent act, the commission may 797
suspend or revoke the license and may do either or both of the 798
following:799

       (1) Suspend, revoke, or restrict the casino gaming operations 800
of a casino operator;801

       (2) Require the removal of a management company, key 802
employee, or discontinuance of services from a gaming-related 803
vendor.804

       (C) The commission shall impose civil penalties against a 805
person who violates this chapter under the penalties adopted by 806
commission rule and reviewed by the joint committee on gaming and 807
wagering.808

       (D) A person who knowingly or intentionally does any of the 809
following commits a misdemeanor of the first degree on the first 810
offense and a felony of the fifth degree for a subsequent offense:811

       (1) Makes a false statement on an application submitted under 812
this chapter;813

       (2) Permits a person less than twenty-one years of age to 814
make a wager at a casino facility;815

       (3) Aids, induces, or causes a person less than twenty-one 816
years of age who is not an employee of the casino gaming operation 817
to enter or attempt to enter a casino facility;818

       (4) Enters or attempts to enter a casino facility while under 819
twenty-one years of age, unless the person enters a designated 820
area as described in section 3772.24 of the Revised Code;821

       (5) Is a casino operator or employee and participates in 822
casino gaming other than as part of operation or employment.823

       (E) A person who knowingly or intentionally does any of the 824
following commits a felony of the fifth degree on a first offense 825
and a felony of the fourth degree for a subsequent offense. If the 826
person is a licensee under this chapter, the commission shall 827
revoke the person's license after the first offense.828

       (1) Uses or possesses with the intent to use a device to 829
assist in projecting the outcome of the casino game, keeping track 830
of the cards played, analyzing the probability of the occurrence 831
of an event relating to the casino game, or analyzing the strategy 832
for playing or betting to be used in the casino game, except as 833
permitted by the commission;834

       (2) Cheats at a casino game;835

       (3) Manufactures, sells, or distributes any cards, chips, 836
dice, game, or device that is intended to be used to violate this 837
chapter;838

       (4) Alters or misrepresents the outcome of a casino game on 839
which wagers have been made after the outcome is made sure but 840
before the outcome is revealed to the players;841

       (5) Places, increases, or decreases a wager on the outcome of 842
a casino game after acquiring knowledge that is not available to 843
all players and concerns the outcome of the casino game that is 844
the subject of the wager;845

       (6) Aids a person in acquiring the knowledge described in 846
division (E)(5) of this section for the purpose of placing, 847
increasing, or decreasing a wager contingent on the outcome of a 848
casino game;849

       (7) Claims, collects, takes, or attempts to claim, collect, 850
or take money or anything of value in or from a casino game with 851
the intent to defraud or without having made a wager contingent on 852
winning a casino game;853

       (8) Claims, collects, or takes an amount of money or thing of 854
value of greater value than the amount won in a casino game;855

       (9) Uses or possesses counterfeit chips, tokens, or cashless 856
wagering instruments in or for use in a casino game;857

       (10) Possesses a key or device designed for opening, 858
entering, or affecting the operation of a casino game, drop box, 859
or an electronic or a mechanical device connected with the casino 860
game or removing coins, tokens, chips, or other contents of a 861
casino game. This division does not apply to a casino operator, 862
management company, or gaming-related vendor or their agents and 863
employees in the course of agency or employment.864

       (11) Possesses materials used to manufacture a device 865
intended to be used in a manner that violates this chapter;866

       (12) Operates a casino gaming operation in which wagering is 867
conducted or is to be conducted in a manner other than the manner 868
required under this chapter.869

       (F) The possession of more than one of the devices described 870
in division (E)(9), (10), or (11) of this section creates a 871
rebuttable presumption that the possessor intended to use the 872
devices for cheating.873

       (G) A person who knowingly or intentionally does any of the 874
following commits a felony of the third degree. If the person is a 875
licensee under this chapter, the commission shall revoke the 876
person's license after the first offense. A public servant or 877
party official who is convicted under this division is forever 878
disqualified from holding any public office, employment, or 879
position of trust in this state.880

       (1) Offers, promises, or gives anything of value or benefit 881
to a person who is connected with the casino operator, management 882
company, holding company, or gaming-related vendor, including 883
their officers and employees, under an agreement to influence or 884
with the intent to influence the actions of the person to whom the 885
offer, promise, or gift was made in order to affect or attempt to 886
affect the outcome of a casino game or an official action of a 887
commission member, agent, or employee;888

       (2) Solicits, accepts, or receives a promise of anything of 889
value or benefit while the person is connected with a casino, 890
including an officer or employee of a casino operator, management 891
company, or gaming-related vendor, under an agreement to influence 892
or with the intent to influence the actions of the person to 893
affect or attempt to affect the outcome of a casino game or an 894
official action of a commission member, agent, or employee;895

        (H) A person who knowingly or intentionally does any of the 896
following while participating in casino gaming or otherwise 897
transacting with a casino facility as permitted by Chapter 3772. 898
of the Revised Code commits a felony of the fifth degree on a 899
first offense and a felony of the fourth degree for a subsequent 900
offense:901

       (1) Causes or attempts to cause a casino facility to fail to 902
file a report required under 31 U.S.C. 5313(a) or 5325 or any 903
regulation prescribed thereunder or section 1315.53 of the Revised 904
Code, or to fail to file a report or maintain a record required by 905
an order issued under section 21 of the "Federal Deposit Insurance 906
Act" or section 123 of Pub. L. No. 91-508;907

       (2) Causes or attempts to cause a casino facility to file a 908
report required under 31 U.S.C. 5313(a) or 5325 or any regulation 909
prescribed thereunder or section 1315.53 of the Revised Code, to 910
file a report or to maintain a record required by any order issued 911
under 31 U.S.C. 5326, or to maintain a record required under any 912
regulation prescribed under section 21 of the "Federal Deposit 913
Insurance Act" or section 123 of Pub. L. No. 91-508 that contains 914
a material omission or misstatement of fact; 915

       (3) With one or more casino facilities, structures a 916
transaction, is complicit in structuring a transaction, attempts 917
to structure a transaction, or is complicit in an attempt to 918
structure a transaction.919

       (I) A person who is convicted of a felony described in this 920
chapter may be barred for life from entering a casino facility by 921
the commission.922

       (J) As used in division (H) of this section:923

        (1) To be "complicit" means to engage in any conduct of a 924
type described in divisions (A)(1) to (4) of section 2923.03 of 925
the Revised Code.926

        (2) "Structure a transaction" has the same meaning as in 927
section 1315.51 of the Revised Code.928

       Section 2. That existing sections 2915.01, 3772.03, and 929
3772.99 of the Revised Code are hereby repealed.930

       Section 3.  This act is an emergency measure necessary for 931
the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, and 932
safety. The reasons for such necessity are to criminalize the 933
activities defined in the act as soon as possible. Therefore, this 934
act goes into immediate effect.935